Saturday, December 27, 2014

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

I had wanted to see Les Ballets Trockadero for so long, and finally had my chance last night. This all male company performs wonderfully masterful ballet using at times over the top slapstick. The mix of humor and beauty is truly joyous, and it was a rather uplifting experience.

The sight of me en pointe is jarring and funny. It continues to tickle the senses, even as you grow used to it. So just the fact that men are playing the traditional female roles adds one layer of fun. Then the performers used large gestures, facial expressions, and deliberately un-balletic movements to further enhance the comedic elements.

Although I enjoyed the humor, I was truly buoyed by the marvelous dancing. There were four pieces: a section of Swan Lake; a parody of Balanchine called "Go Barocco" (I wouldn't have known this was a joke except I read this Times article which pointed it out); a fabulous pas de deux ("Le Corsaire"); and "La Naïade et le Pêcheur". My favorites were the less narrative, less slapsticky two middle pieces. Like I said, I didn't pick up on Go Barocco being a take on Balanchine -- I simply loved the dancing, as well as the lighting and colors, the whole thing. Le Corsaire was also incredibly delightful.